New York, NY — September 14, 2025 — Maimonides Fund is proud to announce the rebranding of its flagship program for creatives, formerly known as the Jewish Writers’ Initiative, to the Jewish Writers Institute. This new name reflects the program’s evolution into a leading institutional home for Jewish storytelling across media platforms, and its commitment to nurturing a vibrant ecosystem of Jewish creative talent.
The rebranding coincides with the launch today of the third cohorts of the Institute’s two signature fellowships, the Screenwriters Lab and the Digital Storytellers Lab. For the first time, the programs are running simultaneously – from now through Summer 2026 – to create opportunities for joint programming and foster more connectivity between the two groups. These year-long fellowships offer funding, mentorship, and immersive educational experiences to support the development of Jewish-themed projects for mainstream film, television, and digital platforms. Fellows participate in seminars in Los Angeles, New York, and Israel.
“The Jewish Writers Institute represents an exciting new chapter in our efforts to elevate Jewish stories and storytellers,” said Mark Charendoff, President of Maimonides Fund. “We’re thrilled to welcome two new cohorts of fellows whose work will expand the reach and richness of Jewish narratives in contemporary media.”
The Screenwriters Lab, run in partnership with Crystal City Entertainment, supports 18 screenwriters in developing scripts that explore Jewish identity, culture, values, heritage, or history. The 2025–26 cohort includes a diverse mix of accomplished writers whose scripts span Jewish history and culture—from Bar Kochba’s rebellion to October 7, Yemen to Poland to Los Angeles—and range from superhero stories to situation comedies.
The Digital Storytellers Lab, directed by Sarah Lefton and Janine Okmin, empowers 18 creators working in formats such as podcasts, animation, short-form video, video games, and social media to produce Jewish-themed projects. The 2025–26 fellows are academics, musicians, novelists, comedians, journalists, artists, and content creators whose projects explore topics including the Ladino language, Iranian refugee experiences, modern reimaginings of biblical women, combating antisemitism with comedy, and Bukharian cuisine, among others.
To learn more about the 2025–26 fellows and their projects, visit the Institute’s new website at www.jewishwritersinstitute.org.
About Maimonides Fund
Maimonides Fund is a private grantmaking organization that funds in North America and Israel. We support initiatives that help the Jewish people grasp our common past and play a role in building a thriving Jewish future. Learn more at www.maimonidesfund.org